DAR Sports: The 2020-2021 NBA Rookie Report Part 1
By Jeff Axel This 2020 draft class has dealt with a lot of adversity. From not having a NCAA tournament to a lack of true development time because of COVID, this all left us with uncertainty on certain players. It was even harder without a summer league and a condensed training camp. There have been 2 rookies that have been exceptional so far this season despite the strange circumstances, I believe. LaMelo Ball has made the Charlotte Hornets one of the most exciting teams in the league. His journey started in Lithuania, the JBL, Spire, and eventually Australia after the early Chino Hills days. We didn’t get a chance to see him perform alongside his peers much in high school (although he did ball out overseas) so the number 3 pick was a mystery. LaMelo is averaging about 14 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists on the season, looking like a clear frontrunner for Rookie Of The Year. For the month of February, since he's become a starter, he’s averaging about 20 points per game to go alon
